Oh Captain! My Captain!
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: Martin has died - Douglas plans to go to the funeral but Carolyn has other ideas and books him to take some cargo flights on the same day. Wanting to pay his respects to the only man he would ever be honoured to call 'Captain', Douglas plans to do something that may end his MJN career and make him lose his license. Rated "T" for some mild swearing
1. Chapter 1

**Oh Captain! My Captain!**

Death, Douglas thought moodily, is something that you always think about happening to people that weren't your friends… He'd been in the MJN office for the last few hours manning the single phone as he had nothing better to do except sit at home and watch the TV. Carolyn had taken Arthur to the Zoo to see the new Polar Bear exhibit as a reward for not spilling coffee over any passengers for a month.

" _Douglas_?" the quiet female voice on the other end of the phone spoke once more.

"Hmm…? Oh, er.. Yes! Thank you for letting me know. I'll let Carolyn and Arthur know as soon as possible. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know?" he ended it as a question but knew it would have sounded hollow however he did it.

" _Thank you Douglas. I would tell them myself, but I don't know how to handle a depressed Arthur_ " Theresa said. There was silence for a good half a minute before she put the other end down without saying a word. Douglas did the same before picking it up and dialling Carolyn's mobile number that was to be used for emergencies. If the death of their former Captain and good friend did not count, he really did not know.

"Carolyn? Its Douglas – where are you?... Ah, well I'm going to have to get you back to the office… Why?... Yes, its important but I can't say why because you'll have Arthur to deal with… Yes, very important… Right, see you then…" and he put the phone down and leant back in the threadbare chair and looked at the fly splattered ceiling with the flaking bits of paint and condensation on the windows. Death, Douglas thought moodily, is something that you always think about happening to people that weren't your friends…

#

He had the opportunity to have a few days off to get to grips with the death of the one person he was honoured and proud to have called his Captain. Instead, he put every hour he wasn't flying into fixing up every last problem the way Martin would have done it – aided by, it seemed, half the airfield's staff. Karl, who Douglas had met only a few times, proved a great help in fixing a couple of Gerti's electrical issues.

"Ah, Douglas, there you are!" Carolyn's voice distracted Douglas from his thoughts. "I have a job for you tomorrow"

"Sorry, Carolyn, but I happen to be busy"

"I'm sure it is unimportant. After all, Douglas, what can be more important then a flight?"

"Martin's funeral is tomorrow" he said simply.

"Yes, yes… I heard all about that. Now, about this flight to Germany…"

"Carolyn, I feel as if you may not have heard me correctly. I'm going to Martin's funeral"

"And yet, oh mighty sky god, you have a flight tomorrow"

"I suppose I could do the flight to there and then try and catch a helicopter lift" Douglas mused, glancing at the NOTAMs sent to their portacabin by Karl.

"You will do no such thing. After you get to Germany and unload the cargo, you'll pick up Herc who will fly as the Captain with a cargo of German wines to Scotland"

"No"

"Yes"

"No" Douglas spat out with such fury that Arthur was sent hurrying outside.

"And pray tell why not"

"Because that man will never be my Captain, he is not qualified in a 3-12 and I am going to that funeral" Douglas said before getting to his feet. "If you'll excuse me, Mrs Shipwright, I have an aircraft inspection to perform" and he stormed out the door, slammed it behind him and then walked in a fit of anger to his waiting plane. He could not believe how cruel Carolyn was being… He knew she hated Martin for being always in a bother about something, making her spend money when it was truly needed, not paying him wages…

"Still, one would have thought that five and a bit years working for her company would mean _something_ " the Captain, though he really hated that title now, stomped up the steps and went inside Gerti – making his way to the cockpit to power up for a taxi to the engine test area. "Golf Tango India"

" _Go ahead_ " Karl came over the radio.

"I know this isn't strictly procedure, Karl, but can you find out what the weather is like over Lichtenstein for tomorrow?"

" _You flying over there_?"

"In a manner of speaking" Douglas started running his mind through what he would need to do.

" _I'll see what I can do_ "

"Roger… Golf Tango India is ready for taxi"

#

"Douglas, are you alright?" Arthur had been worried about his friend after his other one had died.

"Yes, Arthur"

"Only… Only you don't seem it after Skip died – you even yelled at Mum"

"Yes, well she was kind of asking for it"

"To be yelled at?"

"No, Arthur" Douglas sighed and checked the dials on the instrument panels in front of him. He wished, not for the first time, that Carolyn's son was a bit faster on the uptake. "Your mother, though a good business person, is not entirely a good person"

"What do you mean?" asked Arthur.

"Well, Arthur, I had planned to go to Martin's funeral"

"Brilliant… Well, maybe not so brilliant" Arthur looked at the floor of the cockpit. "Couldn't you get to the funeral by plane?"

"A great idea, Arthur, but for two small issues"

"What are they?"

"First, Liechtenstein has no airport and, secondly, Liechtenstein has no airport"

"Oh come on, Douglas, I know I might be slow, but even I know that is the same thing" Arthur laughed.

"Yessssssss…" Douglas checked a map and listened to the radio for a moment. "I thought it was such an important point, I had better make it twice"

"Oh, right" Arthur was silent for a few minutes. "Do you want some coffee?" he asked at last

"No. Now look here, Arthur, I need you to go back out for a few minutes until I call you. I have to do something complicated and need to concentrate" Douglas winced at his tone, but Arthur just passed it off as his way of coping with Martin's death. Once he was alone, he double checked the controls before reaching down for the SatPhone. "Hello, Theresa… Yes, the dragon herself has organised flights for me so I miss Martin's funeral. No, I have to turn around as soon as I offload… Look, I'm not exactly happy about it myself, but can you try to get me what the weather will be over the funeral at the right time?... Lets put it this way, Your Highness, I suspect this will be my last flight – so I should really make it a good one for all time… No, I am not going to fly Gerti into the ground. If you really want to know, why not look up when he is being lowered…? Golf tango India, out. Arthur, prepare for landing"


	2. Doing a Top Gun…

**Doing a Top Gun…**

"You are never going to get away with this, Douglas, old chap" he muttered to himself. He'd just secured the door to GERTI after getting back onboard following his filing of a flight plan using the callsign 'Knack Aired 1' which he and Martin had joked about many times on their flights over the years. "Let it be known for the record" he said aloud so the Cockpit Voice Recorder would hear him, "That I am the only one on the plane and take full responsibility for the actions I am about to take" and he flicked on the radio to call the tower.

"Tower, this is Knack Aired 1"

" _Go ahead_ "

"Request taxi to the active – I have information Charlie"

" _Roger that, Knack Aired 1_ " the tower replied. "Take Alpha, right on Alpha Echo and hold short of 23 Left"

"Alpha, right on Alpha Echo and hold short of 23 Left – Knack Aired 1" Douglas pushed the throttles back slightly and GERTI moved forwards. The First Officer followed the instructions and held just short of the runway as a Delta 747 sped off down the runway. After a moment, the tower crackled in his ear.

" _Knack Aired 1, cleared to line up Runway 23 Left. Wind is calm… Climb and maintain 3000 at first and 10000 after 1-0 minutes_ "

"Cleared to line up Runway 23 Left. Wind is calm… Climb and maintain 3000 at first and 10000 after 1-0 minutes… Knack Aired 1" and, for what he knew to be the final time for this aircraft and the airline, he swung GERTI onto the run and made a last minute check of all his instruments.

" _Knack Aired 1, clear for take off_ "

"Knack Aired 1 is rolling" and he pushed the throttles as far as they would go and the plane raced along before Douglas pulled back on the controls and the 3-12 leapt into the air with only the smallest of faults when his maps case came undone. Once he was sure the plane was working as it should be, he flicked on the autopilot and engaged the pre-programed course he had spent twenty minutes entering into GERTI's ancient flight computer.

#

"Mum?"

" _Yes, dear heart_?"

"There has been a little problem. Its actually not so brilliant" Arthur called his mother on his mobile phone as he stood in the passenger terminal and watched as MJN's one and only plane took off.

" _Has Douglas gone to the wretched boys funeral_?"

"I don't know" Arthur said as the plane turned to the right and climbed higher. "You see, GERTI just took off without me"

" _Did you get the times mixed up again like you did in Tokyo_?"

"Nope!" Arthur knew he had been right on this one this time. "Douglas sent me off to get some green oil for the green light on GERTI"

" _There is no such thing as green oil for a green light… He's hijacked his own plane to go to Lichtenstein_ "

"He can't" Arthur said proudly. "You see, Mum, there aren't any airports in that country"

" _Oh lord… I will kill that man, raise him from the dead, fire him and then kill him once more. Can you get home at least_?"

"Got my passport in my pocket"

" _Alright, let me buy you a plane ticket back and just be safe_ "

#

 _ **CHIRP-CHIRP**_

The Sat-Comm started going off surprised Douglas who returned to the cockpit after going into the liquor cabinet for a drink for the first time in over a decade.

"Shut up" Douglas said, leaning over and lifting the handset up and then down again.

 _ **CHIRP-CHIRP**_

It went off again and Douglas lifted it clear and then replaced it once more.

 _ **CHIRP-CHIRP**_

"Golf Echo Romeo Tango India" he announced as he settled into the co-pilot's seat.

" _Douglas, what the hell are you doing with my plane?_ " Carolyn demanded.

"I'm carrying out an air test of the number two engine"

"Air Test _…? Oh, Douglas, you don't expect me to fall for that old one do you?_ "

"I had an indication of trouble with the engine. I had some engineers look at it, they did a few repairs that were, I might add, both legally required and well overdue, and simply told me to take it up for a few hours for a complete test"

" _I don't believe you_ "

"Fine… I'm doing what we should all have been doing – what I _have_ to do. It may interest you to know, Carolyn, that I had the CVR pulled after every flight and copied because I was getting fed up of you bullying myself and Martin with flights that, whilst legal, piled work on us for days at an end which wore us out. Further more, I sent copies off to the CAA and BALPA with complaints of workplace bullying, inadequate accommodation, dangerous working conditions… The list goes on… Don't worry, Mrs Shipwright, you will get your plane back in one piece where you will find a copy of my resignation placed into your hands with immediate effect" Douglas paused for a few moments. "After terminating this call, I will accept no other communication unless it is in compliance with air safety rules as well as vital information. Golf Echo Romeo Tango India, out" and he put the handset down before Carolyn could say another word.

#

Everybody stood around the grave watching as the coffin was being lowered into the ground. As Maxi stood and held his sobbing sister, and holding a few manly tears back himself, he heard the screeching drone of an aircraft's engines. He looked up to see a single plane flying towards them and getting lower as it did so. It dropped to well below what even most display pilots would try and fly at – leaving at least two of the people attending at the funeral service in no doubt at all as to who it might be.

#

"Flaps set" Douglas said. He had elected, during the flight from Fitton to Germany to treat it as a landing but without the actual landing part. "Throttles to three quarters" and he eyed the approach. "Christ" he laughed to himself, "But this is a hell of a way to end my flying career…!"

#

Maxi, Theresa and a few others watched as GERTI flew over them with flaps down and engines almost at full. As it drew level with them, the pilot rocked the wings several times before flying off to make a looping arc back around. This time, though, it came almost to treetop height, put the flaps fully down and dropped the gear for good measure as Douglas – the siblings knew it had to be him at the controls – fly directly over the top of them with the engines screeching in a high pitched complaint and whine as it battled hard to keep GERTI in the air despite the stall angle that it was being held at.

"Will you be alright, Theresa?" asked Maxi.

"I will be" his sister replied. They stood in awe as GERTI made another loop – this one with a long circuit time – and made a third approach. This time, to the astonishment of all on the ground, Douglas turned the plane right around so that, whilst it remained on more or less a straight course, it completed a full roll. As it stood on its tail to gain altitude, they saw the air brake pop open for a moment and a small black object fall from the back. Maxi and Theresa's guards tried to hurry them away – worried that a mad pilot was trying to kill them both – but they refused and observed the object as it fell to the ground – right on the headstone of Martin's grave.

"What is it?" asked Maxi.

"His hat… That was certainly Douglas at the controls – he's returned Martin's first ever hat as a Captain to him"

"Oh" said Maxi. Ever since his brother in law had been killed, he had regretted every mean and cruel thing he had ever said to the Englishman. GERTI's engines, which had grown quieter as it moved away, became louder as Douglas, dropping back to tree top height, stood the plane on its starboard wing as he made a slow lap and the pair could see Douglas saluting Martin before straightening the wings, waggling once more and then climbing high and travelling away.

"Yes, Maxi" Theresa said as she spun Martin's hat slowly round on her fingers, "I think I will be alright"

#

"Fitton Approach, Golf – Echo Romeo Tango India"

" _Golf – Echo Romeo Tango India, Fitton Approach… I have you directly on the centre line for runway 09 – at your discreation, no other plane will land before you_ "

"Fitton Approach, this is Douglas… Requesting a flyby"

" _We all saw your flyby, Douglas… Golf-Echo Romeo Tango India, you are cleared for the flyby. Remain above 250 and below 1000_ "

"Cleared for the flyby" Douglas sighed to himself as he flew GERTI up the runway, turned to pass by the tower and waggled the wings for Karl before coming around and lining "For the final time, requesting permission to land"

" _Go ahead_ " Karl replied in his own way.

"Affirmative" Douglas confirmed and dropped the wheels down as he brought GERTI in for the smoothest landing she had ever done in all the time he had flown in her. Knowing the way there very well, he switched off the radio and powered down nearly everything as he taxied to MJN's hanger. He shut down the plane and the final checks made before he picked up his bag and left the aircraft for the final time.

"You're fired" Carolyn was at the bottom of the steps – waiting for Douglas.

"Mrs Shipwright, I request that you read this piece of paper" Douglas handed her a single sheet of paper which she snatched out of his hands and read.

 _Dear Mrs Shipwright,_

 _Due to ongoing issues with the way your airline is being run, in particular the way you treat your pilots and cabin crew, refuse to purchase spare parts until legally required or ordered to do so and also with the way you essentially make your pilots work slave hours with minimal rest, I hereby resign my position as Captain and Chief Pilot at MJN Airways with immediate effect._

 _With regards to outstanding payments, debts and all over monies duly owed to me, I shall arrange my solicitor to contact you in due course._

 _Yours Sincerely,_

 _Captain Douglas Richardson_

"Resign then – see if I care!" Carolyn spat out. "Get your stuff and get the hell out… Plenty of other pilots willing to work for me" and Douglas simply turned on his heel and worked over to the MJN offices to collect all of his items before leaving the airfield.

"Excuse me, Dave" he said to one of the ground crew who was stunned at the shouting match.

"Help you with something?"

"I just resigned and am going to get my stuff. Carolyn is just about petty enough to insist I stole things, so would you mind watching me to confirm I never stole from her?"

"Uh… Yeah, sure" Dave replied and followed him over. "What did you resign for?" he asked.

"Because, despite my long service to her, she refused me time off on compassionate grounds. I would hazard to guess she doesn't even know the _meaning_ of the word" Douglas opened the door and stepped inside. It took half an hour, but as he left the office, he turned around and threw the bottle of Tallisker at the far wall. "A waste of good whiskey, but who cares" he said as it shattered.

"Why did you do that?" asked Dave.

"Because she wanted it back – she never said with the bottle actually _intact_ "

#

It happened a few weeks later – much longer than what Douglas had actually assumed would be the case.

 _ **Small Charter Company Goes Under**_

 _It has been reported that MJN Airways (trading as OJS Air) has gone bankrupt and terminated operations with immediate effect. Bankruptcy experts have been called in to sell off the assets of the company, but insiders expect that not much would be recovered. Scrooge, Miser and Penny Pinch, the experts, suggest that biggest recovery of money owed will be gained in the scrapping of the single aircraft that MJN owns._

 _The co pilot and steward are to be laid off with full effect, but the Captain and ground crew remain employed in order to keep the plane airworthy for a final trip_.

Douglas worried about Arthur and how he would cope with the loss of his job - one of the few stable things in his life. He also spared a thought for GERTI and the scrapping she clearly faced. He was pulled out of is musings by his landline phone going off and he couldn't stop but think who it was - it couldn't be his daughter as it was the wrong night to call him.

"Richardson"

" _Douglas, are you alright? Have you heard the news about MJN?_ " Theresa sounded somewhat sad at the prospect of losing another part of Martin.

"Fine... A trifle surprised at how long it took perhaps, but the dragon must have known back when she made me decide to quit"

" _Poor_ _Arthur_ "

"I can safely assume that he has gone into a mood that is not 'Brilliant', but he'll be over it soon I guess"

" _Douglas... Listen... I've had an idea_ "

"Oh? Sweeping in at the last minute to make setting right?" and then Douglas frowned. "I'm sorry, I've just not been the same since Martin died - out of all the pilots I've flown right seat to, he was the only one I was ever honoured to call my Captain and Sir"

" _Martin said he thought of you as his closest friend- despite the arguments of course. Douglas, how would you like to honour him?_ "

"You mean to unveil a statue?"

" _I mean to save MJN from closing for good_ "

"This concept may be on Arthur levels of confusion I fear... Simplify it for me then, would you?"

" _Well, you know how you know I am a Princess?_ "

"Yessssssssss... I did read something about that in The Times"

" _Do you know what Princesses have?_ "

"An oversized crown?"

" _Money... I'm going to buy up MJN, get it dealt with and then fly it at a profit!_ "

"A nice sentiment, I'm sure, but we're going to have trouble doing this"

" _That's not a thing I want to hear about from my Captain and Chief Pilot_ " Theresa said.

"Me...?" to say that Douglas was stunned by this would be an understatement. "Why me?"

" _Because Martin trusted you - repay that trust by helping me out. I've found other 3-12s and am talking about buying them to expand the fleet. In a few years, we could end up with modern ones such as a 737 for more passengers and cargo_ "

"I don't know" Douglas mulled it over.

" _Martin used to tell me about the thrill of outsmarting Carolyn and doing all the deals for things... What about doing that as the Chief Pilot of MJN?_ " and that was what clinched it - he could never resist a challenge.

"Alright, I'll do it… I know a couple of people that are qualified 3-12 pilots, and who need work – let me speak to them"

 **A/N:**

 **After a lovely review and exchanges of PMs, I've decided to write a second chapter – based on what people think, I may do a third**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


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